Lies Like Love
by TheMuchMuchierAlice
Summary: After a fight with her parents ends badly, Sky flees to the only people she knows will help her. As she unlocks the secrets of her past, builds relationships she never thought existed, darker and more terrifying monsters creep out of the shadows to destroy everything she holds dear. An alternate retelling of Finding Sky. Contains triggers - please read Author's Note in Chapter One.
1. Chapter 1

**N:** This is an alternate ending to Finding Sky, starting after the scene where Karla and Saul visit the Bright's home to offer their help with Sky's memories. It will largely focus on the parental relationships in the book, and offer an alternate back story for Sky, Sally and Simon.

 ***Trigger Warning*This story does contain themes/scenes of physical and emotional abuse and bullying. If you find these to be triggers please don't read - I don't want to hurt or upset anyone. I would also like to make it clear that the idea of abuse and bullying is not one I take lightly, so if you are or you find yourself to be in any of the situations mentioned, please seek help and advice immediately.**

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, I hope you really enjoy this chapter/story no matter how un-canon it is and pleas do review, I really appreciate it.

 **Disclaimer - I don't own anything. All rights to Joss Stirling.**

 **Chapter One**

Sky stared despairingly after Karla and Saul Benedict, wincing as their car doors slammed. She felt tears prick at her eyes and she rubbed them fiercely. She didn't want Sally and Simon to see her crying.

"Sorry about that, love." Simon said as he and Sally returned to the living room. "Some people just won't give in; acting like they have some moronic claim over you, as if you were their own daughter."

"Mrs Hoffman said they were a bit odd, didn't she, Simon?" Sally wondered aloud. "That they keep themselves to themselves. Don't really integrate with town life, despite the fact that Saul was born and raised here. She blames his wife."

"I think they mean well," Simon added.

Sky ran her fingers over the highest notes on the piano keyboard, the pitch highlighting the distress she felt. Almost abruptly, she closed the lid and turned back to her parents, trying to breath calmly.

"Maybe we should think more about what Mr and Mrs Benedict said? Maybe they can actually help."

Simon shook his head. "Sorry, Sky, but I think we've dodged a bullet on that one. Especially after all that business with those gunmen."

But that wasn't true, Sky wanted to say, that was just a lie to keep their secrets safe. Her heart gave a thud and she gave another push.

"Please, can we just call them? Give them a chance to explain properly. I really think-"

"Sky, listen, love," Sally said calmly. "You're making really good progress with the doctor we've got you. I don't think it's the best idea for you to start hanging around the Benedicts again. You're not to see Zed and you're not to go over to his house. We don't want any setbacks, do we?"

"But I need them!" Sky cried, unthinkingly. Sally and Simon froze. "I need their help, I need whatever they're offering. Please!"

"We said no, Sky." Simon stated firmly.

"You don't understand!" Sky could feel the tears streaming down her face. "Why won't you just listen? The Benedict's aren't like Mrs Hoffman said, they're lovely and warm and kind and generous-"

"Sky, that's enough." Sally crossed the room and smoothed down her daughter's hair. "Maybe you should go up to bed and rest."

"No! Please, Sally, just listen. They really can help."

"Sky-"

"No, please, please Sally, Simon, please can we just call them and say we'd like them to help?" Sky begged. She suddenly found herself backed up in the corner of the living room, Sally and Simon towering over her.

"Sky, don't be dramatic." Sally rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You don't _need_ the Benedicts. You don't _need_ their help." She took Sky's hand, her smile shadowed with a hint of irritation. "I know it's hard, moving from one country to another and leaving all your friends behind, and I know that you haven't had the best time lately, what with everything that's happened but that's no excuse to throw a tantrum over these people."

"Love," Simon said, "maybe Zed's made you feel very special, said some things, made some promises, but it's all talk. I think things are going well currently with the doctor we've got you right now and I don't see why things should change because you want to spend more time with your boyfriend."

Sky stared between them wildly. They made her feel so stupid and small, like she wasn't in control anymore. They had said it was her decision, but now she was saying things they didn't like and they were angry. For some unknown reason a wave of of unease came over her, almost like she had been in this position before. Her heart began to thud in heavy, rapid beats and she began to feel rather frightened.

"I just think they can help," she said quietly.

"I disagree." Simon folded his arms. "Spending time with Zed and his family has always ended in tears, and just like now, they've brought out a side in you I don't like."

"Well, you brought me here!" Sky snapped. "If you hadn't brought me here, none of this would have happened!"

"Sky!" Sally said, cross now. "Now that is quite enough. Go to your room, now."

Sky hesitated, before sliding between her parents and heading towards the stairs. Foot on the first step, she turned back and said; "I want Karla and Saul to help. They'll do a lot more than you can."

There was silence for a moment, and Simon began to walk towards her. Sky's heart began to thud and she backed up, quickly moving up the first three stairs. But Simon came closer and closer until…

Simon's hand smacked across her face like a whip, and for a second her cheek went cold, and then it burned, hotter and hotter until it stung. The force of it knocked her sideways and she crashed into the wall. She stared up with wide eyes, frightened and trembling, first at Simon, and then to Sally.

"That's enough of your attitude, young lady." Sally said quietly. "I suggest you go to your room, for the rest of the evening, and think about what's happened tonight."

"He hit me," she whispered, too shocked to move. "You hit me! Why aren't you doing something? He hit me!"

"Sky, go to your room," Sally ordered firmly.

"Sally-"

With a snarl of rage, Simon had grabbed her by her hair, dragging her up from the ground and - while she shrieked and cried out in pain - led her up the stairs. He kicked open her door, shoved her inside and slammed it behind her, locking it.

What had happened to Simon and Sally? He had hit her… It had never happened before but she knew that parents didn't ever do that to their children. Almost unconsciously, Sky thought of Saul - he would never hurt his children. That she was sure of. Truly shaken, she sank to her knees and began to sob into her hands.

 **00oo00oo00  
**

Sky didn't move from her curled up position on the floor for a long time, switching between sobbing and to the conversation between Sally and Simon downstairs. She heard Simon say he would come upstairs for a 'chat' with her - but she was frightened of what that meant and decided to make a plan.

She couldn't call anyone; her mobile and the house phone was downstairs. Sky scratched at her arms until they were a fiery red and sore and stinging. She couldn't bear it; her heart felt like it was being squeezed, her lungs felt crushed. She wanted to scream, pummel her head until it was back in shape. She couldn't pretend to be getting any better when in fact she was getting worse, and she couldn't stay here; what if Simon got angry again?

She had to do something. Fists clenched, she got to her feet and turned back into her bedroom, snatching up the first jacket she put her hands on and tugging her feet into her Converse. There was only one place she could think of to go to feel better, to feel safe and alive and sane again. Grabbing her bag, she slung it on her shoulder and snatched up her purse, just in case.

Slowly and carefully, Sky eased the window open and climbed onto the porch roof, slid down to the edge and dropped to the ground.

Sky started to run down the road, feet crunching in the snow, ignoring Mrs Hoffman's call after her. After a while she could no longer feel the cold wind biting at her, and by the time she was walking up the steep road behind the ski lodges that led up to the cable car, her feet were soaked and numb.

The snow here was stamped down, slippery and slick. When Sky looked at her toes, she realized that the soles of her shoes were in shreds and her feet were bleeding. Her cheek and arms stung, tears pouring down her cheeks.

As Sky approached the Benedict house cautiously, she felt a barrier - not as strong as it could have been as it was only early evening and visiting neighbors could still be expected - but pushed through it, slamming up what remained of her shields, and continuing on. Her push did not set off any alarms, perhaps the creators of the shield would think it was a neighbor or a friend.

She hesitated at the front door. She had never been here alone; Zed had always been with her. Slowly, she placed her hand on the doorknob and twisted, surprised when the door pulled open easily. Stepping inside quickly, she closed the door quietly, wondering if anyone was inside. With their freakishly good senses, Sky was surprised they hadn't sensed her distressed mind and been waiting at the door to greet her.

"Hello?" Sky rubbed at her eyes again, trying to remove any evidence of crying.

"Sky?"

The rich, Coloradan drawl wasn't quite what she was hoping for, but she'd take it all the same. Turning to give a weak smile to Xav, who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She had to bite her lip to keep the pain from showing on her face - even though she doubted he was fooled.

"Hi, Xav, are your parents here?" She asked, hating the weakness in her voice.

He nodded. "My dad is. Are you okay?" His dark eyes lingered on Sky's face, and she rubbed at her eyes again, self-conscious. Xav's confusion warred with concern as a taller, broader figure appeared in the hallway.

"Sky!" Saul's eyes lit up in happy surprise and he moved toward his son and the young girl. "I didn't think your parents would change their minds so quickly…" His tone at first was soft and welcoming, but the smile died on his lips as he took in the tears that fell down Sky's face and the way her hands trembled.

She opened her mouth, ready to explain, but her fears held her back. Would Saul be the same? Would he dismiss her with the same calmness of Sally and send her packing? She felt the sting of the slap again, and it stabbed her heart. Saul wouldn't think she was overreacting, would he?

"Sky?"

The young girl gasped, as though she had forgotten where she was and jerked her head upwards to look at Saul and Xav, who looked more concerned than before. Saul had moved closer, arm outstretched as though he wanted to take her hand, but didn't want to startle her. Sky forced a half-smile.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured, "I didn't mean to-" she glanced around nervously, hands trembling. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but you said I could come. I didn't know where else to go and I- um- please, I need your help."

Saul's eyes, already gentle, softened, and Xav smiled at her tenderly.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Saul said. "It's no bother at all."

Xav led them into the kitchen; Saul held back, making sure the fragile looking girl didn't collapse on her way through. A bar stool was pulled out for her, and the men waited for a moment to allow her to climb up. Used to accommodating tall men with long legs, the bar stool was raised too high.

Saul held out his hands. "May I?"

Sky nodded, and he lifted her, with ease, on to the stool. Gingerly, Xav cupped her cheek with his large warm hand. "This should take the sting away," he told her. "It's just bruised. It'll be sore for a few days. Your feet on the other hand…"

Xav eased off what was left of her shoes, closed his eyes and placed his palms on the soles of her feet. A tingling sensation spread through the lower part of her legs, and then pain as the feeling flowed back into her toes.

Saul reached into a cabinet, pulled out a glass and filled it with ice and water from the refrigerator. He placed the glass on the counter beside Sky.

"Thank you," she said quietly, taking a long sip. The cool water soothed her throat, which was sore from all the crying.

"Did you walk here all on your own, sweetheart?" Saul asked, eyes full of concern.

Sky nodded.

"Your dad let you? I wouldn't have, even small towns can be dangerous. Especially at night." Saul's concern made the pain stab at her heart again.

"He doesn't know I've gone. Or he probably does by now, but he didn't when I left. Sally didn't either."

"Sweetheart, I hate to ask; I know it's a horrible question, but did… did Simon do this to you? Did he hurt you?" He took Sky's stunned silence for reluctance, and gently squeezed her hand. "Because if he did, you can talk to us. Any of us. We'll protect you. You'll be safe here."

The front door slammed, and both Xav and Saul looked up as Victor strolled into the kitchen, eyebrows raising when he noticed Sky.

"I thought you were banned from seeing us, little one." The third eldest Benedict shrugged out of his leather jacket and watched as Xav finished up healing Sky's feet, before turning his eyes onto her face. For a brief moment, Sky was convinced she saw concern in his eyes. "A skiing accident? Mom will kill you both; she said earlier the weather was too bad on the slopes."

"It wasn't a skiing accident." Sky defended, "I walked from mine to here."

Victor looked at her again. "You walked here alone?"

"I needed help."

"I thought your parents had all that wrapped up for you?"

"Turns out they're not so nice."

"What happened, Sky?" Saul leaned back against the counter, arms folded across his chest. Xav let go of her feet, and cleared the empty glass away.

Shame pooled in Sky's stomach. What would they think if they found out what Simon had done to her? Surely, they'd think she'd deserve it too? Would Victor advise Zed against being with me again? Would Saul reject her as a daughter? She needed his and Karla's love and care almost as much as she needed Zed's.

"When you and Mrs Benedict left, Simon was so angry. He kept ranting about you guys interfering, he said I was nothing to do with you and that you should leave well alone." Her voice caught and her breath hitched. "I kept trying to explain that you could help, that I needed you too but he got angrier and angrier and so I - I just…"

"Just what, Sky?"

"I tried to make him understand!" Sky cried. "I kept telling him and telling him but he wouldn't listen and he got angrier and angrier and- well- he… he slapped me." Her voice dropped to an ashamed whisper.

There was silence in the kitchen, something Sky knew without asking was a rare occurrence. She didn't even have to look up to see that all three of the men were frozen in place. Finally, Victor spoke up.

"He slapped you?" He snarled, fists clenched. Sky glanced up, but didn't meet anyone's eyes.

"What?"

"That bastard slapped you?"

She glanced nervously at Saul, half-expecting Victor's father to jump in with a reprimand, but he was staring at the counter-top in a display of forced calm.

"Victor…"

Xav slammed a fist on the counter, the bang echoing around the room.

"I've met him, right?" He leaned toward Sky, eyes blazing with fury. "The skeleton guy?" He mumbled something Sky couldn't quite catch, turning towards the door.

Saul seemed to snap out of his stupor and reached out for his son, catching his shoulders and pulling him back. "And where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Skeleton hunting." Xav scowled. "It's suddenly become season."

"You can't," Sky breathed.

"You aren't going anywhere." Saul said firmly. "You're staying here."

"But-"

"What, you think you're going to go over there and teach him a lesson?" Saul pulled Xav directly in front of him. "Xav, he's about as tall as me, and I'm taller than you. If he slapped Sky, what will he do to you? You're my son; I'm not going to just stand and watch while you get hurt. You're staying here, and that's final."

"Call Sally?" Victor suggested.

"She already knows." All three men looked at her in shock. "She was there when it happened."

"So the police have been called?"

"No, she uh-" Sky swallowed hard against the ache in her throat and forced a weak smile. "She… she started to get angry too and Simon slapped me and she told me to go to my room." Tears filled her eyes and she blinked furiously. "She thought it was my fault."

"Your fault?"

Saul was not scary. Not to Sky.

At one point or another since meeting the Benedict's, she had felt the faint stirrings of fear; perhaps her common sense finally showing up. Zed appeared scary to anyone with a pulse. The fear had come back when she had heard about Yves' pyrotechnics, and Uriel's special spider sense. And although she knew Victor would never hurt her intentionally, his cool expressions, Savant abilities and razor-sharp mind terrified her. In fact, she had been terrified by Victor more times than anyone else, but would never mention it for fear of hurting Zed's secretly kind and generous brother.

Karla was another story. She was a beautiful but deadly ball of fire, who, on one occasion, had burned down any shields Sky had and had let her gifts loose, tearing Sky's mind apart. Now she seemed to be consistently careful with how she treated the young girl, obviously aware of how much she could hurt her if she wasn't.

But Saul was, in Sky's mind, not scary. His gifts were fairly unobtrusive, and he clearly loved his children, adored his wife and was generally well liked and respected by most of the township. He kept moody Victor, rowdy Zed and quiet but unpredictable Yves in line with patience and care, and would obviously forgive his children anything. In Sky's eyes he was a near perfect father, and a few times she had compared him to Simon; something she was ashamed of, but couldn't help when she considered her often absent, stand-offish father.

But now, as she looked up into his fierce eyes, she could fully appreciate his role as the head and protector of a family of Savants. His eyes darkened, cold with fury as he spat out the offensive words.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have told you. This was a mistake. Please, I'm sorry. This was my fault. I should leave-" Sky tried to slide off the bar stool but Saul moved, and gently cupped her cheeks, shaking his head.

"Don't you dare apologize," he murmured, eyes blazing.

"It just happened," she cried, desperate for him to understand. "I needed them to understand. I know I was bad. But I needed help and I thought they'd say yes if I explained. Please, don't-" Dropping her head, Sky choked out sob after sob, cheeks flushing in shame. "I'm so sorry. I've ruined everything. Please, please… I just- I needed- I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

Closing her eyes, Sky stiffened slightly as strong arms pulled her against a hard chest. She could smell a pine-scented aftershave and car oil and metal.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay." Saul's soft voice came from above her head, which was tucked under his chin. "It's all okay, everything's okay, sweetheart." His assurances were welcome as his large hand rubbed up and down her back, easing the tension away.

"I'll kill him," Xav said, but Sky shook her head.

"Leave him alone," she whispered.

He snorted. "Are you serious? Honey, he assaulted you! He could have-" Xav broke off, choking on his words.

"He just slapped me." Sky didn't mention how he'd dragged her by her hair to her room and locked the door.

"And what if he did more?" Xav punched the counter, the force behind it breaking the skin on his knuckles.

"He did," Victor said coldly. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered Victor could read minds as part of his gift, and leaned her head against Saul's chest weakly. "The bastard slapped you, dragged you by the hair to your room, locked the door…" Victor was incredulous as he started to put things together. "You climbed out of your goddamn window, and you walked here on your own."

"I'm definitely going to kill him."

Sky looked up at Xav, eyes streaming. He grinned gently, and wiped the tears away with his thumb.

"Don't cry," he whispered. "You sure you don't want me to kill him?"

She gave a watery sniff and shook her head. "You'd get hurt."

"Not with my help," Victor said, "and I'm sure Zed and the others would tag along. Or better still, we could let Mom loose on him; she'd destroy him in seconds."

Saul's arms tightened around Sky. "While I love that you have so much faith in yourselves, I think we'll leave your mother out of your grand plan. And you boys aren't going anywhere either. I'm not risking any of you." He sighed, then released Sky, pressing a kiss to her forehead. His voice was a little regretful, and Sky wondered if a part of him wanted to hurt Simon too. A little embarrassed by their reactions, she couldn't help but feel warm and safe within their cocoon of protectiveness, something she'd never felt with her own parents.

There was silence for a long moment.

"He's probably on his way here," Sky whispered. "Mrs Hoffman saw me leave."

"He'd have a lot of nerve to come here, sweetheart." Saul hesitated, his eyes meeting Sky's. "If you'd like to stay here tonight, you're more than welcome. If not, I'll drive you home myself, or one of the boys will. Far too dangerous for young girls - any girl or woman to be walking alone at night."

"I'd like to stay, if that's okay," Sky whispered. "I don't want to go back."

"That's fine." Saul smoothed down her hair. "Dinner, a hot bath, a movie and sleep, I think is best." He ran a hand through his hair. "Karla and the rest of the boys will be home soon. Would you be okay with chicken and potatoes for dinner? I think that's what she has planned. She's grocery shopping at the moment."

Sky nodded; the idea of someone cooking her dinner felt strange, almost alien. All the same, she liked the sound of it.

"Great, we'll put a film on then." Saul helped Sky down from the bar stool. "You kids pick, and I'll grab you some dry clothes, Sky."

"Are you sure Mrs Benedict won't mind?"

" _Karla_ ," Saul said with a smile, "will be delighted."

 **00oo00oo00**

Saul sat in his old armchair, a large book on philosophy open on his lap, only half listening to the movie the boys and Sky had chosen. Glancing up, he smiled a little in pride and contentment. Victor sat on the far end of the sofa, a half smile on his face as he watched the action sequence on the television. His chin rested in one hand while his other hand was tenderly curled around Sky's much smaller, fragile hand. Sky's head rested on a pillow next to his leg, her feet pushed into Xav's lap. A thick blanket had been pulled over her body, and both his sons glanced at the girl occasionally, as if she was their sister.

Saul held no illusions about his children. Neither Victor nor Xav had expressed any desire to protect Sky when Zed first showed an interest in her. In fact, Victor, on more than one occasion, made it clear that he considered the girl a liability and his brother's relationship with her a disaster. Xav, on the other hand, had tried to have sympathy for his little brother, but had encouraged Zed to ditch her when the situation surrounding them become more dangerous. Now they were sitting at either end of a couch, Sky lying between them, completely at ease.

Once he'd gotten to know Sky, Xav had become Sky's advocate and main supporter. Saul had seen it in his amused smile when she had stumbled through the front door and into the kitchen with Zed, when she'd complimented their home and teased Xav about his skiing. Saul had even over heard several instances of Xav complaining about some guys from Zed's football team and about a girl called Sheena. Apparently Sky held the interest of a couple of boys from the high school - something that mildly annoyed Zed, but flared up a protective streak in Xav. He'd even walked in on Xav arguing with his brothers about her.

"Why does it even matter, Xav?" Victor had snapped, irritation evident in his eyes he sat on the sofa watching Xav and Will play a video game. "She's nothing to do with us."

"Yes, she is," Xav had argued back. "She's Zed girlfriend and a part of our family."

Saul sighed; if only they knew the half of it. Sky was actually Zed's soulfinder, and while that fact was wonderful and he was overjoyed to see the change it brought about in his son, it made her more of a target and made keeping her safe that little bit harder. Still, he was glad Xav felt the same way about Sky as he and Karla did.

Speaking of parents, Saul's thoughts suddenly turned to Sally and Simon. He frowned at his book, thinking back to Sky's attitude and wondered if her life had always been like this. He wondered if Simon had ever hurt her before, and if not, why now? Having plenty of experience in raising teenagers, he knew they were prone to arguments and huge displays of temper and rebelling at any given moment. This couldn't just be a one off moment. It had to have happened before, Saul was sure of it.

Sky was clearly accustomed to taking care of herself, and he'd been surprised when, after being kidnapped by the Kelly's and resting for a long while in a hospital, he had overheard Sky comforting her distraught mother. While walking by her room with Zed one day after visiting, he'd heard the girl asking Sally how they were going to pay for the hospital bills and when she had last eaten. Saul had winced, the unnatural relationship tugging uncomfortably at his heart. Sally, like an exasperated teenager, had rolled her eyes and had assured her young daughter that she and Simon were 'fine'.

It was apparent that 'fine' was a favorite among Sky's family. But Saul continued to wonder, if Sky's relationship with Sally was the reversal of a child/parent relationship, what was the relationship between Sky and her father?

There was a low cry, and Saul glanced up at Sky and his sons, concerned. She whimpered in her sleep, fists clenched and her forehead creased. Victor's eyes widened, then narrowed, expression dark.

 _She's dreaming about Simon,_ he said coolly.

"Please," she mumbled, "please, stop… please…"

Saul placed his book on the table and stood, making his way to the sofa as Xav and Victor watched her helplessly.

Gently, Saul placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, honey," he murmured gently, "there's no need to be afraid, you're safe here."

Sky's body stiffened, and then relaxed, her breathing slowing. "Saul," she mumbled, eyes fluttering open. "What happened?"

"You fell asleep," Xav said quietly, "we were watching a movie."

Victor slipped off of the sofa, and disappeared into the kitchen; when he returned he held out a glass of iced water to Sky who took it gratefully.

"Thank you," she whispered, but he waved it off, kneeling in front of the couch, his eyes concerned. Sky drank until the glass was empty, and then placed it in Victor's waiting hand.

"Better?" he asked.

Sky nodded. "Sorry." Her cheeks flushed and she looked at the floor.

Saul shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for, honey. Did you want to go to bed, get some proper rest?"

"But we haven't even finished the movie yet!" Xav whined childishly. Victor snorted at his attitude and sat back down in his seat. Knowing he had won, Xav grabbed the remote and played the film, turning up the volume. Saul kissed the top of her head and went back to his philosophy book and Sky, realizing that no one was going to press the issue of the nightmare, gingerly laid her head back down on the pillow.

 **00oo00oo00**

Sky managed to watch the rest of the movie, and when the credits started rolling Xav switched to a video game in which he and Victor spent a great deal of time shooting zombies and yelling insults at each other. Saul eventually grew tired of their antics, and, rolling his eyes in fond exasperation, stood and went back into the kitchen. An hour later, Sky made up her mind, and followed after him.

The door to the garage was partially open, and he invited her in before she had even knocked. Saul was leaning over the engine of an old faded red truck, an oily rag in his hands as he cleaned some metal. As Sky drew closer, he looked up and smiled at her, but his expression grew sober when he caught the expression on her face.

"Is this about the nightmare?" he asked softly, when she sat on the floor, cross legged. Her face flushed and she nodded. He sighed. "It was about Simon."

It wasn't a question, but Sky nodded again to tell him he was right. He waited patiently as she took a deep breath. It seemed like he'd already guessed part of what she was going to say, or perhaps even all of it.

Sky stared at the floor for a long moment before starting to speak. "Sally and Simon adopted me when I was ten. In the six years since I started living with them I don't remember either of them _ever_ hurting me. I would never have imagined it, or even considered it. But what happened today… it-it didn't feel like- like a…"

"Like it was the first time?" Saul finished quietly. He tossed the rag onto the engine, and then lowered himself to sit in front of Sky.

"I feel like it had happened before. Like it was a routine, and for some reason I broke it." Sky swallowed. "The nightmare was similar to what happened today, but it was in our old house, in London. I was crying about something - I don't know what - and Sally kept telling Simon to make me stop. So he got his belt, the one with the metal on it and he- he…"

"He hurt you with it." Again it wasn't a question. Sky looked up at him, eyes streaming. She shook her head.

Sky began to talk about other things, the old nightmare. The one where she had been abandoned at a service station, the mantras that haunted her; _Be quiet, freak, or we'll come back and get you,_ or _I must be good, I must be silent, I mustn't make a fuss_ and her old favorite - _I'm bad_. Other moments where she'd felt frightened and scared spilled out of her head and off her tongue until her words ran away with her and all she could say was:

"I am crazy, aren't I?"

"No, sweetheart, you're not." Saul shifted closer, and took her small hands in his large ones. His eyes were sad. "I'm so sorry," he said softly, and Sky pressed her eyes and lips tightly shut, determined not to cry. Saul must have noticed because he gently pulled Sky closer, lifting her onto his lap, cradling her in a way that should not have been so comfortable.

This is what was supposed to happen, Sky realized, when Simon had hit her earlier. This was how Sally was supposed to react. Why couldn't she have done this?

"Sorry," Sky whispered, as she pressed her head against his shoulder, her tears making his jumper damp. He didn't answer at first, simply smoothed down her hair with one hand and rubbed her back with another, leaning back so she was balanced perfectly against him.

"She-" Sky choked out, almost as if it was against her own will. "-thought I was being dramatic… that I just wanted to spend more time with Zed… She thought I was making a fuss for attention… because I was angry we'd come here… she wouldn't listen." She sobbed harder, and Saul's arms tightened around her for a moment, then eased, as if he'd been close to losing control. "I couldn't make them understand… make them listen… and then he hit me! He hit me and she did nothing! She told me to go to my room and think about what had happened but he hit me! Why didn't she do anything? Why?"

"This was not your fault," Saul said firmly. "You should not have been forced to go through this. You mother should have listened to you and taken you out of that situation the minute it began. It was her job to protect you. Of course, Simon is at fault as well, but it was her job to protect you from him and she didn't."

"But she… my mum… she loves me. They both love me. And they couldn't do it on their own… I was the responsible one…" Her words now coherent, Sky thought of all the times she had taken care of the house, gotten the groceries and made the dinners.

"I know you were, Sky, and it was so good of you to do those things for your parents when they needed you too. But it should not have been you who had to be the responsible one."

Sky tried to remember the last time anyone had hugged her like this, and though she loathed to admit it, she failed. Of course she would get half-hugs from her father, and Sally would hug her when she was happy but… she could never remember anyone hugging her like this. She closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling and then jumped, afraid she was imposing on his free time and made to get up.

"Hey, it's okay," Saul soothed. Slowly, Sky relaxed and leaned back into his embrace.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I've ruined your jumper."

"I don't care about the jumper," Saul said softly. There was a soft buzz and Saul's phone lit up where it lay on the roof of the Jeep. Sky's eyes widened as it slowly lifted into the air and floated over to Saul's waiting hand. He shrugged. "Perks of telekinesis." He glanced down at the screen. "Just Karla," he explained, "she and the boys are on their way back."

"Are you sure she won't mind me staying here?" Sky asked anxiously.

"She'll be thrilled not to be the only girl in the house that's for sure." Saul chuckled. "I can picture it now, nothing but shopping and makeovers and whatever else it is she'll want to do with you. She won't mind at all, honey."

There was a loud crash from the kitchen.

"What was that?"

Saul sighed heavily. "I'd imagine it's my sons." Gently, he eased Sky off of his lap, stood and offered her his hand. "Come on," he said, pulling her up. "let's go and see what they've broken now."


	2. Chapter 2

N: Thank you to April, Prettyweirdgirl and Llamacorn for their reviews! I will do my best to keep you hooked _and_ update after the second chapter, haha. If the story you're referring to is Finding Sky - Karla & Saul's POV, another chapter is in the works, I promise! If it's Messes, then I don't know how long it will take for another chapter - ideas come and go so I don't really want to say if that makes sense. Please keep reviewing, I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Disclaimer -** I don't own anything. All rights to Joss Stirling.

 **Chapter Two**

Sky stared at the television with blank eyes. She wasn't really watching, just trying to pass the time. Victor and Xav were cleaning the kitchen - they'd had a fight after Xav accused Victor of cheating after he'd lost three battles in a row. It had resulted in Victor throwing a shoe at Xav, who had waved it away with telekinesis, but hadn't looked at where he was aiming and had broken one of his mother's vases. Glass was shattered across the floor, water had spilled everywhere and pink and orange roses had decorated the windowsill. Saul had given Sky the full control of the TV remote, which had upset Xav because he insisted Sky wouldn't use it to her full advantage and because he blamed Victor for the whole situation.

She was curled up in a ball, arms tight around her knees and blanket up to her neck. She was trying to hide, trying to shrink smaller and smaller, perhaps even sink into the crack between the cushion and the armrest so that no one could find her. Saul had resumed sitting in his armchair, reading his book again. Every so often, Sky would feel his gentle gaze on her, but she stared at the television rather than look at him, eyes wide and bright until they stung and watered.

As the show ended and the credits turned into commercials, a key was turned in the lock on the front door. Saul got up and walked into the kitchen. He didn't ask Sky to come with him; perhaps he knew she wanted to hide for a little bit longer.

Sky knew that Karla was first through the door because she could hear the click of her heels, the thud as she dropped her handbag on the side and murmuring between her and Saul. There was silence for a moment, and then; "Oh, for goodness sake! What have you two broken now?"

Without thinking Sky cringed, waiting for the sound of a sharp slap. When nothing more than a little complaining on Karla's part about why she couldn't have nice things in the house and an apology from Xav and Victor was heard, Sky scolded herself. Karla wasn't like that and she should know better than to think it.

Anything spoken in the kitchen was indistinct, unless it was said by Karla or Xav, who seemed to just be naturally loud. Sky assumed Saul hadn't wasted any time in explaining Sky's presence to his wife because she soon heard "She's here?" and then, "All by herself?" and finally; "He did what? Oh… oh, the poor darling!"

A loud chorus of heavy footsteps accompanied by grumbling and laughter drowned out anything else Karla and Saul were saying as the rest of the Benedict's returned home. Sky's heart began to thud when she heard Zed yell.

"Simon did _what_?"

"Zed!" Saul called out sharply in warning. Sky realized then that if Zed knew, everyone else did too and shame pooled in her stomach again. She clenched the blanket tighter around her and looked at the stairs, wondering if she could hide upstairs. "Zed, take it easy. She's frightened, she's worried and the last thing she needs is for you to go off on one in front of her."

"She could have called me!"

"She couldn't." Victor said coolly. "Simon locked her in her room. She had to climb out of her window to get here."

With a sigh, Sky resigned herself to everyone knowing. She supposed it would have been fruitless to try and keep it a secret and in a way she was grateful she didn't have to go through explaining everything again.

"Is she okay?" That was Yves.

"I fixed her feet," Xav replied. "Her cheek will bruise and her arms will have marks for a while from the scratches on them."

"I want to see her," Zed demanded.

"I can still sense the danger," Will said quietly. "Are we expecting a visit from Simon tonight?"

Saul sighed heavily. "I don't know. Sky told us that Mrs Hoffman saw her leave, so we can assume Simon knows she's here, it's the most logical place for her to go."

"Can I see her?" Zed asked again.

Sky could tell Saul was hesitating. "Wait a moment," he said.

"Right," Karla said, "you boys put the shopping away. Leave the things for dinner on the side, I'll start cooking in a minute. Xav, Victor - you're on washing up duty tonight."

Saul stopped in the doorway to the living room, his arms folded across his chest and eyes wary. "Sweetheart, Zed would like to see you."

"I know," Sky said softly. "But he might not like me like this."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of Sky," Saul was firm now. "But I'm not going to force you to do anything," he promised.

Sky deliberated for a moment. "Is Zed mad at me?"

"At _you_? No, of course not. Why would he be mad at you?"

"I did make Simon angry, Saul. I just wanted him to understand and-"

"Sweetheart," Saul knelt in front of Sky, gently brushing his thumb under her eye when they welled up again. "I need to make something clear. It doesn't matter what you did. It doesn't matter what you said. It doesn't matter how angry you made Simon. You are a child. He had no right to hurt you. He and Sally are the only ones at fault. I know that, Karla knows that. Zed and the rest of my sons know that. No one here blames you, sweetheart."

"I'd like to see him," she whispered.

"Okay," Saul said, standing and leaving for the kitchen.

 **00oo00oo00**

Sky kept her eyes on the television screen as Zed gingerly sat onto the sofa next to her. He didn't reach out to touch her, like she had expected, instead he waited in silence and eventually, her neck aching and eyes burning, Sky had to look away from the screen.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey," Zed hesitated, then shifted closer. "I heard what happened."

"Always the quiet ones, huh," she joked, but he didn't laugh. She flicked her eyes to his and his expression was sad. "I'm okay," she said quietly, but she didn't know who she was trying to reassure more, herself or Zed.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Sky shrugged. "My fault."

Zed shook his head. "No, baby, not your fault. Not in the slightest-"

"I made him angry."

"That's not the point."

"Should have kept my mouth shut." Sky looked up at him again and gave a weak smile. "I just wanted them to understand. But they wouldn't listen, wouldn't even consider letting me stay here. He was so angry. I've never seen anyone angry like that before. And Sally-" her voice caught on her mother's name and she pressed her lips together tightly. "She did nothing. Didn't try to make him stop, didn't comfort me. She just watched."

"Sky-"

"Everyone knows." Sky's words came out in a plaintive voice, and though she wasn't angry, Zed hurried to apologize.

"My brothers overheard… they couldn't help it," he rushed to defend his brothers. "And dad had to tell mom-" he took a deep breath and hurried on before Sky could explain she wasn't angry. "Mom… she feels terrible."

"She couldn't have seen!" Sky cried. "She shouldn't blame her-"

"She feels terrible because she likes you," he interrupted. "She feels terrible that you had to go through it all alone…"

Sky didn't know what to say to that.

"She was so excited when I found you, you know." Sky looked up at him, noticing the fondness in his eyes. "My mom," he clarified with a smile. "She _saw_ that the two of you would be friends and she was so happy. She bugged me everyday for weeks; " _Can I talk to Sky yet? When can I meet Sky?"_ " He imitated his mother's beautiful voice and Sky giggled. "She missed you before she even met you and she can't believe she wasn't able to help you."

Slowly, Zed eased his arms around Sky and pulled her against his chest. At first she flinched, and Zed made to pull back, but she snuggled into the softness of his jumper and closed her eyes. She started to cry, but not like before. Now it was silent tears, because she couldn't pretend it was a dream anymore, couldn't imagine that it was a nightmare she had just woken up from. Telling Zed, feeling the warmth from him soak into her, sensing his love for her and his protective nature only made it all the more real.

"I promise," Zed said in a low voice, "that he will _never_ hurt you again. I'm going to keep you safe, baby. We," he added as his older brothers gathered in the doorway, "are going to keep you safe. You don't have to be scared. You're safe here."

Will came forward first, kneeling in front of her. "No one is going to hurt you," he promised. "And he will pay for what he did, little sister."

"We will make him pay," Yves insisted. "Even if I have to torch the house to make the point."

"With him in it," Victor muttered.

"We'll do whatever you want to him," Uriel said. "We'll even stand outside his house and make things float so he thinks he's gone crazy."

"Or we could borrow a snow machine and fill the house up with snow!" Xav rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"We'll take him to court - press charges." Trace said finally. "Whatever you want us to do, kid, we'll do it."

Sky stared round at the Benedict boys with wide eyes. She had always wondered what it would be like to have brothers, and in this moment, she felt like she did. Like she had six huge, clever, funny and cool brothers who would always look out for her.

It didn't feel real, and at the same time, it absolutely did. She blinked, trying really hard not to cry and laugh at the same time. "You guys are the best," she said finally. The happiness tugged at her heart, and she smiled, eyes shining.

 **00oo00oo00**

After a while, Sky decided to join Zed's parents in the kitchen. The smell of hot, buttery chicken and lightly seasoned potatoes blossomed from the stove. They were talking quietly together; Karla orchestrating dinner, one hand stirring something in a saucepan and her other hand caught between Saul's much larger hands, pressed against his chest.

Sky wondered if she had interrupted something personal and began to back away, but Karla turned her head with a smile. "Hello, Sky."

Slowly, as though she didn't want to frighten Sky, Karla stopped stirring and pulled her hand away from Saul, moving closer and pulling Sky gently into a hug. At first Sky didn't know what to do, but then she reached out and hugged Karla back. She was warm, and smelt of peaches, and the softness of her body made Sky crumple. Her eyes watered and she pulled away, rubbing them furiously.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, sweetie. Uh uh, you have nothing, _nothing_ to be sorry for." Karla gently reached out and pulled Sky back to her, brushing a blonde curl from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "You cry all you want, darling."

Saul cleared his throat and pressed a kiss to Karla's cheek. "I'll get the boys to lay the table." As he passed her, he ruffled Sky's hair.

"But everyone must get sick of me crying all the time," Sky mumbled.

"Well, you've had a long day." Karla cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead. "We understand, darling, really. It's okay to be upset. No one minds. You go ahead and cry."

"I came out to see if you wanted any help," Sky said softly. She looked up at Karla, her eyes bright with fresh tears and sniffed. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

Karla laughed gently. "Sweetie, after seven boys, we are used to it. Don't worry about it. And if you really do want to help, I will take advantage. Plates are in there," Karla pointed at a white wooden cupboard on the far side of the kitchen. "You hold, I'll dish up."

 **00oo00oo00**

After dinner, Sky had gone for a shower in Karla and Saul's en suite. She'd turned on the shower, stripping quickly and turned away from her reflection in the mirror. She hadn't wanted to see her scarlet cheek or look into her puffy, sore eyes or brush through her clumpy, tangled hair with her fingers.

At first the shower had been warm, heat and steam rising around her. She'd closed her eyes and for a moment it was as though nothing had changed. She was at home with Sally and Simon. They would put a film on, make some popcorn and snuggle under a thick blanket…

A burning sensation on her cheek pulled her from her reverie and she gasped in pain, eyes welling up. She reached out blindly and turned the knob back as far as she could. The water quickly turned icy and she sat on the floor of the shower under the cold spray, arms wrapped around her knees. Her arms were red too, and sore.

Red meant anger. Anger meant hurt. Hurt meant dirty, and she wanted to be clean. Clutching the washcloth Karla had lent her, she scrubbed at her arms and legs and face and chest and stomach until her whole body was rubbed raw. She couldn't reach the soap, so she rubbed harder and harder. She wanted to be clean and-

The bathroom door opened; Sky froze, closing her eyes and ducking her head. Someone opened the shower door and above her the shower turned off and Sky's skin prickled with goosebumps. Someone's fingers eased her arms away from her legs and gently pulled the washcloth from her fingers.

"Saul still feels dirty sometimes too."

Sky looked up at Karla, who smiled softly and gently wrapped her hand around Sky's arm. The blonde girl allowed Karla to pull her to her feet and help her out of the shower. Karla wrapped a large, fluffy gray towel around Sky who sat numbly on the toilet seat.

"He'll feel dirty when he looks at me." Karla knelt by the bathtub opposite the shower, and ran the water over her finger until it was warm enough and she slid the plug into place. "He still waits for me to leave him, like he doesn't deserve me."

Sky was silent while Karla spoke. Her voice was matter-of-fact, calm and soothing. While the tub filled with water, Karla poured some white bubble bath into the water and swirled it around with her fingers.

"I can hear his thoughts, so I know when he thinks about it, but sometimes the boys will get too close, be too rough in their play fighting. He does trust them, the same way he trusts me… but he still flinches. He still backs away and leaves the room." Karla turned the taps off and stood. She helped Sky back onto her feet, tucked her hair behind her shoulders and led her to the bath. Sky let her, moving dumbly, stepping and sitting in the warm water, the bubbles making rainbows appear on her skin. She looked up at Karla again.

"He feels guilty, often sick with himself because they're his children and he loves them and cares for them so very much; he hates that sometimes he's afraid of them… afraid of me." Karla reached into the cupboard below the sink and pulled out shampoo, conditioner and soap. "Not all the time, the reminders slow down. But sometimes we'll get too close, touch his arm a certain way, yell a little too loudly and he remembers."

The warmth wasn't scary anymore and her cheek didn't sting when the steam hit it. Karla hesitated, then cupped her hands in the water, letting the handful wash over Sky's hair. She repeated the process several times, as though Sky was a toddler. Karla gently massaged shampoo into Sky's hair and scalp; Sky closed her eyes. It felt nice.

"He waits for us to get sick of him - especially me, I'm not the most patient of people." She laughed gently and shook her head. "For a long time while we were dating he couldn't bear for me to touch him." Karla rinsed the shampoo from Sky's hair, smoothed conditioner into the ends and then clipped it on the top of her head. "I brushed his hair back once and he nearly hit me, I tried to lay down beside him and he fell out of bed trying to get away… the worst was… I hugged him from behind, didn't even think, and he pushed me down the stairs." Karla saw Sky's stunned look when she moved onto her arms, squeezing the soap onto the washcloth and gently cleaned her arms, careful to avoid the scratches.

"It wasn't his fault, he didn't even realize he'd done it. I should have known not to sneak up on him. It was stupid and thoughtless. It was months before he'd let me touch him properly. I don't mean sex," Karla clarified. "I mean things like… sitting next to each other, holding hands, stroking his cheek. I'm just saying, it takes time, Sky. There's no rush, no time limit. You take as long as you like to become comfortable."

Sky no longer felt the compulsive need to tear her skin off, to be clean. Karla rinsed the conditioner out of Sky's hair and sat back on the toilet seat, folding Sky's towel in her lap.

"Don't get me wrong," Karla continued, "I still worry about him. He fears I'll get tired of helping him, that I'm tired of being careful with him. Realistically, he knows I won't. He knows that our soulfinder bond is stronger than his fear. And I'd never leave him regardless; he's my husband, my best friend, the most important person in the world to me. Just like you are to Zed. He won't leave you, darling, he wouldn't survive it. He needs you Sky, just like you need him. You don't have to doubt that." She smiled, and stood, somehow knowing the water was cooling off. She held out the towel and wrapped it around Sky's body. "He'll mess up at first. He'll be too loud, make you uncomfortable and he'll feel terrible and go out of his way to make it up to you. I was exactly the same. But his priority now is to help you."

As Karla drained the water, Sky dried herself off and wrapped another towel around her hair. Sky brushed her teeth ("It is new," Karla had explained when she had handed it to her) and then Karla handed her a tube of moisturizer.

"I'll get you some fresh nightclothes," she said, "that should help with the scratches on your arms and your cheek. Use as much as you like; I'll knock before I come back in."

Once Sky was dressed in a soft white pair of pajamas, Karla sat her on her large double bed and pulled out a posh hairdryer from a box. Before brushing it, Karla sprayed it with a sweet smelling spray and Sky looked up at her, confused.

"It's anti-frizz spray," Karla clarified. "I use it on my hair, it's as curly as yours if I don't bother straightening it."

"Your hair is curly?" Sky was shocked. Impulsively she reached up and stroked Karla's hair, which was so straight it looked like you could get a paper cut on it.

Karla laughed. "I'll leave it curly tomorrow, so you can see. Besides, where did you think Xav, Trace and Zed got their curls from? Saul?"

Sky thought of Saul, whose hair was just as straight as Karla's. She thought about what Karla had told her and sighed. He always seemed so unafraid and brave and strong. It felt strange to imagine him hurt and scared.

"Who hurt Saul?" Sky asked quietly.

Karla stilled for a moment, biting her lip. "His father."

Sensing she had crossed into an unmentionable territory, Sky's cheeks flushed and she fell silent again.

Karla started brushing Sky's hair gently, untangling the ends first and brushing out the middle section and finally smoothing it down from the very top of her head. Then she plugged in her hairdryer and dried Sky's hair. She brushed it for a long time after that; running the long blonde strands through her fingers.

"Your ends need doing," Karla murmured absentmindedly. "Your hair is very pretty. Unusual, to be such a pale blonde naturally. I'll do them tomorrow, if you like."

"Um-"

"Or we can go shopping?" Karla's eyes brightened. "You'll need clothes if you're staying here and I know we probably don't have any food you like and we can get you some make up and some books and whatever you'd like. I mean, we don't have to. We can do whatever you'd like, we can get facials and get our nails done or we can sit around here and play video games or we could watch TV… do you like America's Next Top Model? It's my favorite and-"

"Karla?" A low voice called out from the bedroom door. Saul eased through the doorway and smiled at his wife. "I think Sky's tired, darling." He crossed the room in three strides and pulled Karla against his chest. "You can plan your day in the morning."

Karla nodded, hugging him gently. "Sure, sure." She grinned at Sky. "Come on, I'll show you where you're sleeping."

 **00oo00oo00**

Zed caught them as Karla was about to lead Sky into the spare bedroom.

"Hey, mom…"

"Nope," she said firmly, hand already on the door handle. "I don't think so, Zed."

"I want Sky to stay with me," he looked at her pleadingly. "She can sleep in my room. I'll keep her safe, I'll protect her."

Karla sighed and folded her arms, eyebrows raised. "It's not a case of protecting her, Zed, it's a case of you behaving."

"We'll behave!" he protested. Karla gave him a look. "I'll behave," he amended. "I'll prove it."

He reached out, catching his mother's hands and pulled her closer to him. Zed rested his forehead against his mother's, a somewhat awkward yet touching position considering how much taller he was than her.

"Tell me what you see, Mom." Zed said quietly. "I've lowered my shields."

"Like they ever stopped me before…" she muttered, sounding almost amused. But she closed her eyes, her body relaxing and swaying slightly. She pulled away abruptly, rubbing her forehead. "I see you looking after Sky and behaving like a gentleman. Don't disappoint me," she said, jabbing a finger at his chest.

They hugged each other tightly, and for a moment Sky felt almost envious of Zed. She shook the thought away when Karla hugged her gently as well.

"Get some sleep," she instructed. "You're safe here, darling."

Zed led Sky further down the hall towards his bedroom. Saul came up behind Karla and tapped her shoulder, before sliding his arms around her waist and holding her gently.

"Happy?" he murmured.

"Always," she kissed his cheek.

"Sky," Saul called quietly as the young girl was just closing the bedroom door. Sky turned back slowly, her eyes sad. "If your father does-"

"Do I have to speak to him?" Sky asked plaintively.

"Of course not, sweetheart." Saul gave her a reassuring smile. "Get some rest, I'll speak to Simon."

"Thank you," her voice was subdued, exhausted from all the crying and pain. She closed the door behind her, leaving Karla and Saul alone on the landing.

 **00oo00oo00**

It was almost midnight when a sharp bang against the front door resonated throughout the Benedict home. Karla jumped against Saul and then laughed at herself. He tugged her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.

"Don't worry, darling," he murmured, "I won't let the nasty wind hurt you."

Karla snorted with laughter. "Stop it."

He sighed and leaned back against the arm of the sofa. "I can't believe you like this crap." He picked up the remote and pretended to change the channel.

"Saul!" Karla snatched the remote from his hands and hugged it to her chest. "It's an important episode!"

"Swimsuits?" Saul rolled his eyes. "The only thing worthwhile about watching this is imagining you in all the bathing costumes."

She elbowed him in the ribs. "Don't lie."

"I'm not. You'd look far better in that costume than she does." Karla looked at the model on the screen and frowned. "I mean that, Karla, you would."

There was another bang… and another… and another.

"That's not the wind," Karla whispered. "It's Simon."

Saul was tense, fists clenched and jaw locked. "Go upstairs," he said, easing her off of his lap and giving her a push towards the stairs. "Check on the boys and Sky."

"But-"

"Go, I'll get the door."

"SKY!" Simon bellowed. "SKY! ANSWER YOUR DOOR BENEDICT, I KNOW YOU HAVE MY DAUGHTER IN THERE!"

" _I'll_ get the door," Karla took her husbands hand. "He'll have woken the children up regardless with that amount of noise." She winked at him. "You can be my back up."

Not in the slightest reassured and his senses for danger going off the wall, Saul followed his wife out into the hall.

"SKY! SKY, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! LET ME SEE MY DAUGHTER!" A heavy resounding kick was hurled against the door. "SKY!"

Karla paused before answering the door, glancing back at her husband warily. Saul was so obviously angry; his arms folded tight across his chest, teeth clenched and stance protective. There was another resounding kick to the door and Saul's eyes darkened. Know he would be more than angry if Simon kicked the door in, she pulled open the door with the most pleasant smile she'd been able to manage.

"Simon," she greeted. "Please, come in."

Simon shouldered past her with barely a hello, his eyes firmly focused on Saul.

"Where is she, Saul?" Simon's eyes were cold and angry; Karla positioned herself at Saul's side, hand gripping the back of his t-shirt. "Where's Sky?"

"Sky is upstairs. Given the hour, I believe she's sleeping. She'll be staying here tonight." Saul wrapped his arm around Karla's waist and pulled her closer. "Can we offer you a drink before you leave?"

Simon snorted. "What do you mean staying here? You expect me to allow my daughter to have a sleepover with your son?"

"She's staying in our guest room," Saul said simply. "All our sons-"

"So expect me to allow Sky to have a sleepover with not just Zed, but you and your other sons as well? You think that's decent?"

Karla heard Saul imagine breaking Simon's jaw - nothing serious, just so he had a little trouble speaking for a while - and she elbowed him gently. His eyes flicked to her momentarily, softening and then grew cold again as they returned to Simon.

"What exactly," Saul said, his voice dangerously cool, "are you insinuating?"

Simon shook his head. "Listen, I don't know what you allow your sons to get up to, but my daughter-"

"She is not _your_ daughter," Saul said quietly. "You forego the right to call her _your_ daughter when you hurt her earlier this afternoon."

"Mom? Dad?"

Karla turned and smiled softly at her second youngest son. Yves ran a hand over his face, yawning. "What's with all the noise?"

"Nothing, baby," Karla pulled him into her arms when he reached his parents and smoothed down his messy hair. "Go back to bed."

"Everyone else is awake," he said quietly.

"Tell your brother's and Sky that we'll be up soon, Yves." Saul and Karla were both anxious to get Yves out of harms way, should Simon become angrier.

"Why is he here?" Yves asked. "He hurt Sky."

"Nobody has hurt Sky." Simon said coolly. "I think, Saul, there's been a slight misunderstanding."

"You did hurt her," Yves insisted. "You slapped her."

"How dare you-" Simon growled and Saul stepped in front of his wife and son, shielding them from Simon's anger.

"No, Simon, how dare _you_. How dare you stand in _my_ home and insult _me_ , suggest that I would do _anything_ other than protect Sky, suggest that _my sons_ would hurt her. You have no idea what we would do for her, what we have already done." Saul took a deep breath, trying to calm the fury in his chest and looked Simon in the eyes. "Sky is a part of our family, and welcome to stay here for as long she likes, with or without your blessing. We have plenty of room."

"This is ridiculous," Simon snarled. "I'm tired of this. I'm here to collect Sky and take her home. She will no longer be spending time with you son or your family. I can see that Zed is a bad influence on my daughter. If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay away from her."

Karla was beside herself. "Is that a threat? Are you seriously threatening my son?"

"We don't take child abuse lightly in this family, Simon." Saul said calmly. "If someone hurts my family, anyone in my family, I take it personally. You hurt your daughter. You were someone she trusted and you destroyed that trust the minute you were no longer in control of yourself and slapped her. I will do anything to keep that little girl safe, Simon, even if it means keeping you, Sally or the entirety of Wrickenridge away from her. You hurt your daughter and you abused your position of trust and care. I don't care what you say; I don't believe this is a misunderstanding and if _you_ know what's good for _you_ , you will stay away from her."

"And if you _ever_ come near my son, near _any_ of my children," Karla snapped, "I will personally hunt you down and see to it that the rest of your life is extremely, extremely uncomfortable, miserable and lonely." Simon opened his mouth, but Karla beat him to it. "Now get the hell out of my house, _before_ my husband has to make you."

It hadn't taken long for Simon to leave after that; he left slamming the door behind him, muttering to himself about parental rights, insisting that this wasn't over.


End file.
